CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Anfield Awaits

Liverpool face Manchester City under the Anfield floodlights on Wednesday evening for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. A draw against an English side is seen by many as a curse but the game is sure to be an enthralling affair whatever happens.

Image via thisisanfield.com

City are flying high at the top of the Premier League with the Reds being the only team to beat Guardiola’s side. Both managers lead two awesome sets of attacks and both would also admit to defensive issues but who will walk away victorious?Realistically, Liverpool need a solid win at Anfield to get the job done in this tie, going to the Etihad with a draw or a loss would create an extremely difficult scenario. Not an insurmountable one though, we’ve all seen Liverpool perform miracles in Europe.Injury news means Klopp is unable to call upon Joel Matip who is now out for the remainder of the season, the game also looks to have come too early for Emre Can. For Manchester City, the big news on Tuesday was the announcement that Sergio Aguero will also miss the game.There aren’t many matches where the build-up to the clash itself is enough to give you goosebumps but reading some of the quotes and opinions today, it has really made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Klopp has asked his side to “write our own history” and if anybody is capable of doing so, it’s Liverpool. The Reds seem to find power in the places where most teams have caved in and given up, how many times have you watched us in Europe make it through in impossible fashion?I honestly feel as though we can take City over two legs. Ideally, I would have preferred the second leg at Anfield but in Europe with 180 minutes to play, I always favour our boys, whoever the opposition. The Reds have shown they can beat City already this season and the open style of play will work to our advantage, Salah is bound to find the back of the net I just hope that the occasion forces some stellar performances from Lovren and van Dijk.Enjoy the match folks, wherever you are watching, pop back to The Liver Bird on Thursday for a match report!